Apparatus for cooling and dispensing articles



Dam., E@ WM. F. GLASSFORD APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DISPENSING'ARTICLES Filed Jan. 14, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i, E947. F. GLAssr-'ORD #2432'749 APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DISPENSING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 14, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FRED YGLA.swf-'01m 'ni/#mmm MWI/IM M, H947. F. GLASSFORD 2,432,749

APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DISPENSING ARTICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 1944 HW? k JNVENTOR. FRED GLASSFORD 16, E947., F. GLASSFORD` 432349 APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DISPENSING ARTICLES Filed Jan. 14, 1944 4 sheetssneei 4 I INVEN -Wmzz FRED GLASS/:ano

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Patented Dec. 16, v194'!A APPARATUS Foa cooLmo AND, msrassma Aa'ricLEs Royal Oak, Mich., Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, corporation of Delaware` assignor to Mich., a

Appncamn January 14, 1944, serial No. sisma (ci. :i4-os) l 4 cnam. l

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for controllably chilling articles.

An object of the invention is the provision of improved apparatus for facilitating the progression by gravity of articles through a predetermined course in a chilling chamber and the dispensing of the same from the chamber.

Another obiectlof the invention is to facilitate the progression 'by gravity of articles through a chilling chamber by reducing the amount of moisture carried into the chamber as an insident to the admission of articles thereto.

A further object ci the invention is the provision in connection with a dual trackway` for guiding articles through a. chilling lchamber' of improved means for dispensing articles from such trackways for discharge from the Achilling chamber.

A still further object of the inventionV is the provision of means for adistably controlling operation of the dispensing meansand more particularly to provide a relatively 'positive power# operated mechanism for effecting operation of` the dispensing means in conjunction with means yfor variably retarding operation 'of the ydispensing means under the iniluence of the power-operated mechanism.l

Otherobjects vand advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accom-V panying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 isa v rtical sectional view of unit embodyin the invention. Fig. 2 is a view partly in section showing a heating' chamber, trackways and hopper associated with the cooling unit ofFig. 1.

a cooling Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a part of the trackways viewed as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away and in section to particularly illustrate the dispensing means and parts of thecon trol therefor, the view being located substantifally as indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-5 of Fig. 4. i

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section takenon line 6-8 of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, mainly in section, taken on line 1-1- of yFig-4.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, taken as indicated by line 8-8 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away and in section.

Fig. 9 is a view, partly in section, taken asindicated byline 2.-2 of Fig. 8.

'through the outlet opening 23.

2 Fig. 10 is`an enlarged transverse section of the trackways taken on line ill-I0 of Fig. 1.

\ Fig. 11 is a fragmentary enlarged sectionalview the chamber I6 may be provided in any we1l- -known manner, as' by the circulation or a suitmanner or i6 in the able refrigerant in the well -known by deposit of solid carbon dioxide chamber i6.

The cover 20 has an inlet opening` 22 and a suitable outlet opening 23 is provided in the base wall 2l. Extending through the inlet opening 22 and in a circuitous path through the chamber i' to the bottom of the chamber is a pair of trackways, generally designated by the numeral 2li for guiding articles to be cooled or chilled from a receptacle 25 through a heating chamber 26 at the inlet opening 22, thence through the chamber i6 for subsequent discharge Articles to be chilled areV fed from the receptacle 25 to the single trackway-forming part 21 communicating with a second part, 28 flared at the outlet end vthereof as shown in Fig. 3 which outlet end has a divider29 to provide a-pair of branches. Connected with the branches so formed are individual trackway-forming parts 30 and 3| each of which has a slot therein forming the trackway,

and 9, respectively registering with the slot in the parts 30 and 3i for receiving articles therei'rom. The part 32 extends through the opening 2'2 into the chamber I6 and each slotted side face is covered by a plate 35, as shown in Fig. 8. For support, the. part 32` is secured to one of a plurality` ofvertically spaced bands 36 carried by the wall I-'|.

Each trackway intermediate-the part 32 and a provided by a pair of spacedslotted members 31 I opening one toward the other. each adjacent pair being connected by an intermediate track-forming part 55 secured to an adjacent band 56 and having slots 55 and therein. as shown in Fig. 11, constituting trackways.

.Intermediate the aforesaid trackways as thus provided and the outlet opening 25 and within the chamber is a casing structure, generally designated by the numeral 4|. containing means for dispensing cooled articles to the outlet opening. This structure includes a pair of opposed side walls 42 and a divider 45 therebetween and so spaced therefrom as to provide a pair of passageways 44 and 45 respectively registering with the trackways. formed as heretofore described and designated as 45 and 41 in Fig.. 4, for receiving objects therefrom. The casing includes an enlarged section, extending into a trough in the bottom wall 2| and so shaped as to receive an oscillatable dispensing wheel 45 disposed in an opening in the divider 45. *L

At the side of the wheel 49 opposite the passageways 44 and 45 there is a further dual trackway provided by a part 49 having a reduced end textending into the casing structure 4|. To provide the trackways, the part 49 has a longitudinally extending slot 55 formed in each of its opposite side faces, as slot being covered by a plate 5|. The plates and part 49 extend through the outlet opening 23 into a box-like structure 52 from which the chilled objects are removed for use, the part 45 and plates 5| being cut away, as shown in Fig. 1, to facilitate removal of articles therefrom.

The dispensing wheel 45 has a recess 53 shaped as shown in Fig. 1 formed in one side face thereof and a corresponding recess 54 in the opposite side face, the recess 53 registering with the passageway 44 when the wheel is in its illustrated position for receiving an article therefrom and the recess 54 registering with one of the adjacent slots 55 in the member 49 to discharge an article thereto. The wheel 4'5 is mounted for oscillatory movement to a second position wh'erein ,the recess 59 is brought into registration with the other slot 55 in the member 49 and the recess 54 is brought into registration with the passageway 45 to receive an object therefrom. The recesses 53, 54 are in diametric opposed relation and the wheel-45 moves 180 between its aforesaid positions.

The wheel 45 is moved as aforesaid by a shaft 55 splined thereto and journalled in sleeve-like extensions provided by the casing side walls 42. The shaft is received in a housing 55 which is substantially U-shaped and is indented at its inner end to receive an extension on the adjacent wall 42 of the casing structure, as shown in Fig. 4. I'he housing 55 abuts and is closed by the bottom wall 51 of the chamber I5, which bottom wall is an extension of the wall |1. Between the walls I1 and I5 the housing 55 is provided with a. cover plate 55 having a flange 55 generally rectangular in plan positioned in an opening in the outer wall I5 of the refrigerator box. The shaft 55 and housing 55 therefor are thus beneath the bottom wall 51 and project outwardly of the box as shown in Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 1, the base 2| is recessed to receive the casing structure 4|, a portion of the latter projecting into the chamber I5. However, the disposition of the shaft 55 and casing 55 beneath the wall 51 in cooperation with the laterally extending flanges 55 of the casing shown in Fig. 12, each such structure 4| prevents any appreciable variation in temperature by reason of the opening in the box to accommodate the shaft 55 and casing 55. The shaft 55 is adapted for oscillation and for l this purpose there is provided s, casing, generally designated by the manual 5I, having an attaching part 5| bolted to the flange 55. As shown more particularly in Fig. 7, the casing 6| has a cylinder 52 in which a piston 53 is 'reciprocatcd by compressed air under control of valve means 54 communicating with a source of supply (not shown), the valve means being operated by a lever 55. The piston 53 has a stem 55 to which is secured a rack 51 meshing with a pinion 55 non-rotatably secured to the shaft 55. The rack and pinion are so related as to turn the shaft 55 and dispensing wheel 45 180 in response to movement of the piston 55 in each direction.

In order to retard movement of the dispensing wheel 45 by the aforesaid operating means and to variably time the discharge of chilled articles thereby, the shaft 55 is provided with a fluid control means. The casing 5| has a horizontally extending part 59, as shown in Fig. 6, having a bore receiving the shaft 55, this bore being enlarged at the free end portion of the extremity of the part 65, as shown in Fig. 4, into which extends a reduced portion 15 of a hollow extension generally designated by the numeral 1|, this extension being secured by screws 12 to the part 69. The extension 1| has a fluid chamber 13 in which the shaft end portion is rotatably received, which end portion includes a head 14 abutting the shoulder at the reduced section. A seal 15 is interposed between the shaft 55 and inner periphery of the reduced portion 15.

The extension 1| has secured thereto by screws 15 a cap 11 having a projection 18 provided with an orifice 15 therethrough, and an adjacent recess'in which an end portion of the to thereby force liquid from one side of the projection 15 to the otherthrough the orifice 19 and thus retard movement of the shaft 55 and dispensing wheel 4'5. A valve 52 threaded into theprojection 15 is operable to restrict the orlfice 19 and thus adjustably vary movement of the shaft.

The apparatus as illustrated is particularly adapted for chilling ring-shaped valve seat inserts 83 to facilitate assembly thereof in a cylinder block. These inserts are metallic and the contour of the trackways, the passageways and the receiving recesses 53 and 54 in the dispensing wheel are so sized as to permit the passage of these inserts therethrough. The temperature of the chamber I6 is maintained to such a degree y as'to reduce the thickness of the inserts from approximately .003 to .005 of an inch. The chilled inserts are removed from the outlet 52 and immediately installed.

In order to avoid interruption in the gravity progression of the inserts along the trackways due to frosting of the rings incident to moisture enteringthe inlet opening 22 into'the chamber i5, I have found it advisable to provide means for reducing the amount of moisture which would otherwise b e carried into the chamber I6. Referring to Figs. 2, 8 and 9, there is provided at the top of the refrigerator box the heating chamber 25 positioned at the inlet opening 22, which chamber is formed by a box-like member 54 having an opening in the top thereof through which the adjacent trackway-forming parts extend. The chamber 26 contains a pair of electrically K predetermined passageway in response to sucenergized strip heating elements 65 mounted therein and suitably insulated, each having connectors 86 leading to a source of energy, not shown. As shown in Fig. 8, the trackway-forming part 32 is intermediate the elements 85' so that each trackway is adjacent one of the latter.

While the invention is illustrated and described in connection with cooling or chilling valve seal inserts, it will nevertheless be understood that the same is not limited thereto and that in its broad aspects the invention may be employed in connection with articles 'other than such inserts.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention has herein been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes in' the size, shape and arrangment of parts `may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a cooling chamber having inlet and outlet openings for respectively admitting and discharging articles to be cooled, a pair of trackways for guiding articles between said openings in respective predetermined paths through said chamber for cooling thereof, a casing structure intermediate the termini of said trackways and the outlet opening having spaced walls, a divider in said casing structure cooperating with said walls to form passageways respectively registering with said trackways for receiving cooled articles therefrom, said divider having an opening therein and a dispensing member in said divider opening oscillatable between first and second positions and having axially opposite side faces each having a recess therein, one adapted to register with one of said passageways for receiving cooled articles therefrom when said member is in one of its positions and to discharge articles so received to said outlet opening when said member is in the other of its said positions, the other of said recesses being adapted to register with the other of said passageways to receive cessive movement of said wheel between its said positions, an oscillatable shaft non-rotatably secured to said wheel journalled in said casing structure and having a portion thereof projecting from .said chamber, and means connected with the latter portion of said shaft for oscillating the same.

3. In an apparatus ofthe class described, a cooling chamber having inlet and outlet openings for respectively admitting and discharging articles to be cooled, a pair of trackways for guiding articles between said openings in respective predetermined paths through said chamber for cooling thereof, an oscillatable member having recesses therein in said chamber for alternately cooled articles therefrom when said member is inthe other of its said positions and to discharge articles so received when said member is in its said one position.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a cooling chamber having inlet-and outlet openings for respectively admitting and discharging articles to be cooled, a pair of trackways for guiding articles between said openings in respective predetermined paths through said chamber for cooling thereof, a I'casing structure in said chamber intermediate said outlet opening 'and said trackways having spaced walls, a divider extending into said casing structure cooperating with said walls to 4form passageways respectively registering with said trackways for receiving cooled articles therefrom and communicating with said outlet, a' dispensing wheel in said casing structure oscillatable between first and second positions for alternately passing articles from each of said receiving passageways to an outlet passageway, said wheel having axially opposite faces each provided with a recess adapted to respectively register with a predetermined passageway 'for receiving articles therefrom. said recesses being so spaced as to be alternately moved into and out of registration with its dispensing articles from said trackways to lsaid outlet opening, an oscillatable shaft connected with said member and having a part thereof exteriorly of said chamber, power operated means for oscillating said shaft, a `housing receiving said shaft part having a fluid chamber, a partition in the chamber having a fluid metering orifice therethrough, and a vane in said fluid chamber secured to said therewith between opposed faces of the partition for displacing fluid through said orifice in opposite directions during the respective strokes of oscillatory movement whereby to retard' oscillatory movement of said member under the influence of said power means.

4. In a device of the class described, a refrigerator including a cooled chamber having spaced inlet and outlet openings for respectively admitting and discharging articlesv to be cooled, a structure supported on said refrigerator and positioned at said inlet opening providing a heated chamber ,exteriorly of said cooling chamber for decreasing the amount of mostureadmitted to said cooling chamber as an incident to the admission into the latter of the articles to be cooled, a pair of trackways extending Vthrough said heated chamber and said inlet opening into said cooling chamber for guiding articles to be cooled through said heated chamber and between said inlet and outle t` openings, that portion of each of said trackways extending through said heated chamber including an article-receiving slot open at one side thereof, an electrically activated heating element adjacent each of said trackway portions and overlying the said open side thereof,

and means for dispensing cooled articles from said trackways to said outlet opening.

` FRED GLASSFORD. REFERENCES CITED The followingv references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS y shaft for oscillation y vCertificate of Correction Patent No. 2,432,749. December 16, 1947.

FRED GLASSFORD It is hereby oertied that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 4, line 6, for the Word manual read numeral; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this cooreetion therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Signed and sealed this 27th day` of April, A. D. 1948.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

